Double Willow Blade problem

[ChrisCarter]

Here is a picture of the bait in question



The problem is that the first willow blade gets caught up on the hook and only the second blade spins properly. The only way to get both blades to work is to retrieve it at what feels to me an unreasonably fast pace. Any suggestions for me to be to slow down my retrieve and still have both blades spin?

[Hossman]

I would try bending the wire up and away from the hook so that it didn't hit the hook.

[ChrisCarter]

never thought of that, but it does make sense. Thanks Hossman.

[Hitek]

That should do it. Should also give a larger area for the fishes mouth so that it does not grab the wire.

[ChrisCarter]

If that's the case, what's the point of the trailer hook?

[Jim C.]

Short strikes

[olduckhunter]

hoss is right. your wire is too close to the hook and most spinnerbaits have a smaller blade on the shaft where yours looks to be the same size.

[Eager Beaver]

2 ways to correct it. Bend the wire up or put a smaller blade on the back. I changed blades all the time even mix and match them to make the bait do something different. Another thing is to make sure the point of the hook is sharp. Just out of the package, usually isn't sharp enough to set it in a Bass's jaw. To check the sharpness of the hook, hold the bait and run the point over your finger nail and it should dig into your nail and not skip over it. If it doesn't stick in your nail, it won't stick in the jaw of a bass either. If your bait is running to fast than you can add a trailer to the back of the bait so you can retreive it at a slower pace and it won't sink as fast, allowing the bait to run slower. There is a lot of thing's that you can do to a spinner bait to change the action of it. EB

[Eager Beaver]

Also you need to tune the bait which is making sure the wire is in line with the hook. You can tune the bait to run to either side by bending the wire the opposite way you want the bait to run. You can make it run along a dock without being to close to the dock. When you cast the spinnerbait be sure to start your retrieve before the bait hits the water and it will line up the blades so when it hits the water it is already moving. This to will keep the blades from hitting the hook. But when fishing around anything it is very important to hit the cover what you are throwing at. When you make contact with a dock or stump or grass whatever you are fishing after it hits stop the bait and let it fall for a short time like a fish run into something and was stuned. That is when you will get a hit most of the time if anything is around it. EB

[Eager Beaver]

If that's the case, what's the point of the trailer hook?

The point of the trailer hook is to extend the length of the bait and make it appear bigger to the Bass, if they are short biting. The looks of the length of your skirt you could add a trailer hook with no problem. If you aren't running a trailer hook on that bait I would trim the skirt to only extend about 3/4 of an inch behind the hook to where it is just longer than the shorter pieces of skirt. If you use a trailer hook and using it in open water I turn the hook down where it is opposite of the main hook and if I am using it in cover I turn the hook up and inline with the main hook. Spinnerbait is the most versitile bait there is. EB